The United States Constitution was composed in 1787 and because of the way that society has developed, society’s morals have changed since the document was created. In “The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaption”, Jonathan Hennessey and Aaron McConnel are able to explain and develop ideas of the constitution, while also explaining the changes the constitution has had to endure as the country has developed and changed over the years. By placing the images and the text strategically the author is able to make a stronger message about what is being explained in the text. In “The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaption,” Jonathan Hennessey and Aaron McConnel use contrasting images of physical changes in the past to represent moral changes that have occurred since the constitution was written. 

In the top left corner of the text, on the second page, the first panel states, “The first seven articles of the constitution-as it was composed in 1787-often reflect a wildly different moral universe…” (203). This first panel shows an image of a compass and a key sitting on a table or a desk. The compass looks to be very old and they key is an old fashion key. The compass has spider webs on and round it. The colors in the first panel seem to be very muted and the lighting in the image is very dark. The reader is able to see a slight shadow over the compass and key that almost looks like a window, giving the impression that the image could be inside. The perspective of the image is looking down onto the items sitting on what seems to be a table. The image is made to seem like a picture of something from the time period of 1787. By adding the dark colors and old items the image directly relates to the text by reinforcing the idea that what life was like in the 1700’s is very different than what we imagine life to be in the present. The text on the top of the panel focuses mainly on when the constitution was written and the authors wanted the images in the graphic novel to enforce this idea. By having this text box at the top of the page, Hennessey and McConnel have persuaded the reader to think about a certain time period for the image which ultimately helps develop the message as a whole. 

The second panel, which is located in the top right corner of the second page has a more modern image that contrast the image in the first panel. On the top of this page the quote, that was started in the first panel described, is finished with, “…Than the one we live in today” (203). In this panel the image shows a hand holding a modern day GPS. On the top of the GPS is an American Flag.  Behind the GPS is a city scene. This scene consists of a range of different skyscrapers and buildings, a taxi, a street light, and a trash can. This image seems to be a more modern representation of directions. This panel seems to have brighter colors and to be lighter. This panel has a straight on view. The panel looks to be drawn as if the author wanted it to look as if the reader was holding the compass. By doing this the reader is able to better relate to what is going on in the image. Hennessey and McConnel added this image to show the modern day idea of how an average person finds his or her way. Similarly to the first panel, the text box at the top of the panel influences the reader to think about the image in the panel as present time. 

These two panels relate directly to each other and both the text and the images are needed to understand what the author is trying to portray. The design of the two panels is broken up by the time period, therefore the reader is able to see the contrast between the two sides. For example, the panel on the left has muted colors and dark lighting, while the panel on the right has more vibrant colors and a lighter background. The panel on the left represents the past. The time in history that the reader was not able to experience and therefore does not have as much to relate to. The Panel on the right represents the present. This is what the reader experiences on a day to day basis and therefore has a better understanding of the image. Similarly, by putting the contrasting images beside each other and breaking up the panels, the author is enabling the reader to think about the changes that have happened over the last few hundred years.  Although the text is explaining the moral issues that have changed since the United States Constitution was written by adding the physical changes, shown in the two panels, the reader is able to further analyze and relate the issues and moral ideas that have changed since the document was written. The written text relates to the image without directly explaining what is going on in the image. The images show the difference in the way we lived in the times that the constitution was written and the times that we live in now by contrasting the compass and the GPS. The text explains that the times have changed since the constitution was written and therefore the moral standards of society have changed also. 

Hennessey and McConnel use a contrast in time periods to show the change that has occurred since the constitution was written. Whether it is through the text of the panels or the images in the comic, the authors are able to produce an impactful message about the moral changes the country has had to go through since the constitution was written.  When an author adds contrasting ideas to a text, a reader is able to recognize the differences easily, provoking outside thoughts and information about the text, therefore making the text more relatable for the reader. 
